As we gathered for worship on Sunday I heard Pastor Randy say we could learn how to meet and greet like these people of Honduras. We entered the church to a bunch of handshakes and hugs. As we settled into service I did not see Pastor Brian and John Scott. I looked out the front door there was Pastor Brian and John Scott meeting and greeting all who was entering the Baptist Church of Cedeno. I asked them where the bulletins were and they said Meida and Mike are working on it now with the pastor of the church. We all chuckled and settled into an amazing worship service. Brother Lorinzo led us all in a song called "Bienvendos". Pastor of church stepped forward to welcome everyone. Lynn came forward to read the scripture out of Deuteronomy 1:1-17. The offering at this time was collected.
The team came forward to sing "Victory in Jesus" in Spanish and English. Lynn prepared her team with copies of this amazing hymn and they practiced daily to prepare for church on Sunday. Afterwards we had three testimonies from the young people on this combination team. First up was Ana, who shared she accepted Christ at the age of seven. She knew at a very young age Jesus Christ was her Lord and Savior. She shared as she grew in her faith she enjoyed her quiet time with her Lord and Savior. As she grew in her faith walk God had a plan for her life and she trusted God with her life. She was a home body and loved family time growing up. But God's plan for Ana changed as she became a young adult and God challenged her to go away from home and count on HIM for her fears and doubts by leaving her family. God wanted Ana to rely totally on HIM and not family for her life choices. This is exactly what Ana did with her life's journey thus far. Her fiancé, Justin, encouraged her every step of the way. She shared how her relationship with God gets her through the tough stuff in life. This is my first time on a mission trip out of the country and honestly folks you would never had known it. She was a natural and blended right in with everyone on her team. She like Lynn was an outsider coming into to this team. We are grateful you came Ana.
Christian shared how he grew up in church but didn't get involved with church at all until he became a youth in the youth group. His mission trip to Penn. is where is eyes where open to God. I felt different once I opened my eyes to God.
Peyton was raised in church in a loving family who led him in a godly direction in life. At the age of eleven he received Christ as his Lord and Savior. His faith walk led him to problems with authority figures who did not agree with his faith walk. He stood strong in his Christian walk with the Lord as you always stood strong. Sometime he would waver but like the lost sheep God always found him and brought him back into the fold. One time at a youth camp I asked God why am I here. I was about to give up on my faith in God when at that time God gave me peace only He could provide for my life. So at that time and place I began rebuilding my foundation in Jesus Christ by being more in His Word. Yes, I am a work in progress in said but God is not finished with me yet.
Pastor Randy stepped to the pulpit to bring the message. He spoke in Spanish for a while until he finally shared he felt better doing it in English and letting Meida translate it for him in their native language Spanish. He thanked them for having the teams in their community this past week and allowing them to serve beside them. He was grateful for their hospitality throughout the week. Pastor Randy's sermon came out of Matthew 5:4 "Blessed are those who mourn."
How can we be happy when we are mournful. Today we are going to talk about different ways to mourn and how Jesus uses it in our lives. We may lose a family member, or dare to love another we do not trust or we may experience a loss. He referenced John 11 about Lazarus who Jesus loved deeply, the shortest scripture in the Bible is "Jesus wept". In life we dare to take risk to love someone deeply like Jesus loved Lazarus. Jesus knows what it is to mourn. So where is the good news in all this today. Jesus knows and is there for us every step of the way. We are to love everyone and as we all know we live in a broken world where loves is hard to find. Agape love is the only way we can truly love as humans on this earth. In Luke 10 we are taught how to love others, love your neighbor as yourselves. Who is your neighbor? Then he goes to the story of Good Samaritan and we find out the man who crossed over to check on the injured man was the Good Samaritan, not the priest or the other man who walked over him but the man who took the time to go and help him and get medicines for his injuries. Our sins will separate us from God because we are sinners. God mourns when we are not in a right relationship with HIM. The only way to a right relationship with God is to receive His Son Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and live our lives loving everyone who is our neighbors. Whether we like them or not or even if they speak a different language or skin is a different color. We need to exhibit agape to all people.
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